


Of Shoes and Soulmates

by makkachino



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Cinderella Elements, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-23
Updated: 2017-12-23
Packaged: 2019-02-18 20:43:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13108173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/makkachino/pseuds/makkachino
Summary: A Cinderella AU, with a twist. Set in a fantasy world where soulmates are born with matching marks on their body. The mark is always part of a full image, and the image completes itself when soulmates kiss for the first time.Yuuri Katsuki, a man from a small town, is convinced his soulmate does not exist; his mark already seems to be complete.Prince Viktor, in a last attempt to find his one true love before his family forces him into an arranged marriage for the good of the kingdom, holds a grand ball, sending out invitations across the kingdom in hopes that his soulmate will attend.





	Of Shoes and Soulmates

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lilithiumwords](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilithiumwords/gifts).



> Well, we've made it into March, and it doesn't seem like the Victuri Christmas exchange collection will ever be made public. If that changes, I'll happily add my work to it, but I also want to share what I worked on. Especially since it's a gift! Ren, if you're still around, I hope you enjoy reading this! I'm sorry about the wait; I wanted to give the event mod some time to come back... But then I got busy with the Big Bang!!! on Ice event, and before I knew it several months had gone by!
> 
> Well, that's enough from me. Happy reading!

Yuuri Katsuki lived a quiet life in the small country hamlet of Hasetsu. He had a modest but comfortable life, with his modest but comfortable family, running their modest but comfortable inn. But modest and comfortable didn’t always mean content and happy. Yuuri always struggled with a deep, nagging, lonely feeling, caused mostly by the mark on his arm, closer to his elbow than his wrist; his soulmate marker.

Everyone - or, so they said, whoever _they_ were - was born with one. Soulmate markers were supposed to be one of the last bits of common magic left in the world. Supposedly a gift to the human race, from an angel or a fairy, or some supernatural creature, depending on one’s favorite version of the story, these marks were incomplete, until the soulmates kissed. The mark would then complete itself, creating a small shape or picture.

The creature that blessed mankind with such a gift must have had it in for Yuuri; his mark was a finished image from the start. It was a shoe, though from Yuuri’s perspective it was upside-down, it was very clear, and complete. Yuuri had accepted the fact that he probably didn’t have a soulmate a long time ago. But accepting something as reality and being happy with it weren’t quite the same thing.

So, when Prince Viktor announced a grand ball, in a last ditch effort to find his own soulmate before he was married off for political reasons - a motivation he was very open about, in all of his announcements and invitations - Yuuri decided to stay home. Mari expressed interest right away; if Yuuri stayed behind, she could go without having to worry about their parents taking care of the family inn on their own.

Not that they needed much help. It was long past busy season, and the older couple was even able to retire to bed early, with Yuuri around to clean up the dining area after dinner.

He wasn’t all surprised when, about halfway through his chore, Minako Okukawa made her way into the inn, despite the fact that the restaurant area had long closed for customers. An old family friend, Minako often showed up after hours.

“What, Yuuri?” Normally, she was happy to see him; the woman had practically been a second mother to Yuuri, growing up. Tonight, she looked surprised to see him, and not in a good way. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m working-”

“You’re supposed to be at the ball!” Minako pulled at her long, brown hair in frustration. “If you were planning on being fashionably late, you should at least be getting dressed by now!”

Yuuri laughed nervously, “Oh, I won’t be attending.”

“What do you mean, _I won’t be attending_ ?!” She repeated, with an expression that made Yuuri thankful he was more than an arm's length away; Minako looked like she was ready to slap him. “Yuuri, the prince is looking for his soulmate. The _prince_! Don’t you want to be there? Aren't you even a little bit excited?”

“Don’t you think it’s a little unrealistic? Hoping that Prince Viktor could be my soulmate? I’ve never had that kind of luck.”

“Well, maybe…” Yuuri hoped that would be the end of that, but Minako clearly wasn’t ready to give up on him. “But there are going to be so many people there! It might not be the prince, but you could meet someone special. Don’t you want to meet your soulmate, Yuuri?”

“You never found yours.” Yuuri pointed out. It wasn’t an uncommon phenomenon, as far as he could tell. The world was such a big place; the odds of finding one person were so abysmal. Staking your entire future on such a small chance wasn’t realistic, and Yuuri didn’t like setting himself up for failure.  “Maybe the prince is your soulmate, why don’t _you_ go?”

Her face fell, into an expression Yuuri had only seen a few times in his twenty-four years on earth; crestfallen, like he had just destroyed something very special to her. “Yuuri…”

Yuuri was barely able to force out another laugh. “Besides, I’ve got nothing to wear.”

“Oh? Well, if that’s all you’re worried about…”

Before Yuuri could blink, the room was filled with small, glowing purple lights; like tiny stars. That same light seemed to radiate from Minako herself. She was glowing from the inside out, and when the light did fade, she looked completely different. Her messy brown hair was tugged into an elegant bun, and her simple outfit had transformed into an elegant gown, low-cut and flowy and covered in tiny little gemstones.

Yuuri’s jaw almost hit the floor. “Wait, you’re magical-?!”

“Mmmmmhm~!” The ballerina did her signature spin, which always managed to be stunning on its own. But now, tiny fireworks exploded behind her, she looked even more radiant than ever.

Yuuri’s heart felt like a heavy rock in his chest. Minako had been his mentor for as long as he could remember; a trusted friend. But magic… Magic was something dangerous, something the government heavily regulated.

He gulped. Did he really need to be scared, of the person who had taken care of him for so long? “Are you a witch?”

The older woman chuckled. “Of course not, Yuuri! I’m your fairy godmother.”

“My… what?”

The question was met with a gentle slap to the shoulder. “It means it’s my job to look out for you, silly. I didn’t want to reveal my identity to you when you were younger, I didn’t think you would understand.”

Yuuri nodded slowly. That made sense. He hardly understood now.

“But… Well, tonight, I think you need a bit more magic; something I can’t just do for you really quickly, while your back is turned.”

“Need more magic for what, exactly?”

Another slap on the shoulder. “For going to the ball, Yuuri!”

 “Oh. We’re back on that, are we?”

“Yuuri Katsuki,” Minako’s strong hands were on his shoulders now, forcing him to look into her eyes. “It’s my job to make you happy. But there is one thing I could never hope to give you on my own.”

 “... A quiet night at home, with a cup of tea and a good book?”

 She rolled her eyes. “True love! The least I can do is put you on the right path. Now, do you want pink, or blue?”

“Um… blue?” Yuuri wasn’t quite sure what Minako was getting at, until he was surrounded by a soft, blue light. The sensation tickled, but wasn’t uncomfortable. It was so distracting that Yuuri did not even notice that his clothes had changed, until the light vanished, leaving him in a periwinkle blue suit, paired with fitted black trousers.

 Perhaps a bit _too_ fitted… But even Yuuri had to admit, looking down at himself; the outfit wasn’t half bad.

 Minako wolf-whistled as she circled him; clearly, she agreed. “Alright, after that stunt, I think I’ve got enough magic to get us there and back-”

 “Us?” Yuuri questioned. “I thought you didn’t want to go.”

 She rolled her eyes, “I put too much effort into this spell, and I know you too well; I’m not going to let you waste it by leaving early.”

 Yuuri shrugged; she had a point there.

 “I’ll stay out of sight, naturally,” she continued. “I’d hate to get in the way, especially since the spell only lasts until midnight.”

 Yuuri glanced at the clock on the wall. 8:00pm exactly. “Your spell only lasts four hours?”

 “What, do you think I’m made of magic? You’re lucky I can manage this much. And without a _thank you_ , no less!”

 “Uh… thank you, I guess?”

 “That’s better. Now, go have the best four hours of your life, Yuuri.”

Minako had mentioned using magic to get to the ball and back home again, but Yuuri wasn’t quite sure how that was going to work. She reached forward, flicked Yuuri’s nose, and before he could reach up, rub his nose, and say “Ow!”, his surroundings completely changed.

The large, empty dining room had transformed into a much larger, full ballroom. The lights were cool and dim, the carpets red and gold, and all of the other attendees were dressed in outfits that made Yuuri’s new, magical suit look like pajamas in comparison. An attempt to be eye-catching for the prince they hoped to impress, no doubt.

No, Yuuri thought, the dining room hadn't changed. It was Yuuri that had been transported somewhere completely new.

None of the other guests seemed to notice Yuuri’s unorthodox appearance in the middle of their party, and it took him a few moments to realize why. At the top of the grand staircase, a handsome man who could only be Prince Viktor was making his own entrance.

Even Yuuri couldn’t take his eyes off of him, as he descended the grand staircase. His outfit was simple, almost identical Yuuri’s, but pink in color. His silver hair practically glistened, under the light of the chandelier above them. Even from his position in the crowd, far away from him, Yuuri could see how brilliant and blue his eyes were. It was easy to see why so many people wanted to come to his ball, even if the odds of Viktor being their soulmate were slim to none. For someone who still had hope that their soulmate was out there, the possibility that it could be someone so beautiful might be worth traveling any distance.

Yuuri looked away. No, it was stupid, to get his hopes up. He didn’t have a soulmate, and thankfully, he spotted something else that was almost as tantalizing as the prince himself.

A snack table, full of sweets and champagne.

 

* * *

  

Yuuri wasn’t quite sure how he ended up back in his bed. The last thing he remembered was shoving a small, chocolate cupcake into his mouth, and washing it down with his fourteenth flute of champagne. When he woke up, he was in his room, in his own home, and in his favorite pajamas.

Yuuri quickly decided that the ball, the delicious snacks, the handsome prince, and Minako’s magic, were all just a dream, the dull, buzzing, hangover-like headache was just a coincidence, and that he might as well get up and get ready for a new day that would, undoubtedly, be just like every other.

And it did start out that way. Yuuri washed off his face, ran a brush through his hair about three times before deciding it was good enough for a lazy morning with his family, put on his glasses, and began making his way downstairs. Before he entered the dining room, he could smell breakfast; fried eggs and toast and… pancakes? Maybe waffles. Yuuri wasn’t sure, but his stomach was ready for whatever awaited him at the table.

Or, so he thought.

Everything Yuuri expected to see at the table was there. Omelettes, a tower of buttered toast, with several choices of jelly, a plate of large, fluffy pancakes, ready to be slathered with butter and syrup. However, there was one thing Yuuri was not expecting:

Prince Viktor Nikiforov. Dressed just as he was the night before, though now his hair was almost as disheveled as Yuuri’s, and the dark circles under his eyes suggested that he hadn’t slept.

He locked eyes with Yuuri, and before Yuuri’s mind could process all of the questions he had, the prince broke out into a bright, happy smile.

“Yuuri!”

He bolted.

What the hell was the prince doing in his house? Did this mean his dream wasn’t a dream after all? That had to be it; there was no other way to explain the outfit. But that meant…

Minako really was his fairy godmother, whatever that meant. She had magical powers. 

Yuuri really had attended the grand ball.

But why couldn’t he _remember_ it? Why was the prince sitting in his kitchen eating breakfast, as if he belonged there? How did Viktor know his name?

Yuuri was halfway out the front door - where he was planning to escape to in his pajamas, he wasn’t quite sure yet, but the line of royal guards waiting outside probably wouldn’t have let him get very far - when a large, cold hand clasped around his wrist, preventing him from going any further.

“Yuuri, don’t leave me again.” Yuuri didn’t dare turn around to face him, but he could sense the desperation in the other man’s voice. He wasn’t giving an order, he was begging.

Yuuri swallowed. He didn’t like this, not at all. There was too much he didn’t know, or understand. “Let go of me, please.”

“Only if you promise not to run away.”

Yuuri couldn’t make that promise, but when he pulled away, the prince let him go. Yuuri crossed his arms over his chest, in an attempt to comfort himself. It didn’t work; his mind was still running a million miles a minute even though his body had stopped, and he could feel his hands starting to clam up.

“You… You do know who I am, right?” Viktor asked, his tone surprisingly awkward.

“Everyone knows who you are,” Yuuri replied, his eyes focused on the floor. “You’re Prince Viktor.”

He laughed halfheartedly at that. “I’m your soulmate.”

Yuuri’s heart felt heavy. He shook his head, “No…”

“Yes!” Viktor took a half-step forward, and it took everything Yuuri had not to take two steps back in response. “I know it’s you, Yuuri-”

“Look, I-” Yuuri stopped, taking a deep breath before looking up to face the prince. He had no idea what happened, how they ended up like this, but… Well, if Viktor really thought Yuuri was his soulmate, and was so invested in that notion that he tracked Yuuri down… He deserved an honest response, at least.

When Yuuri looked up, looked Viktor in the eye… He could feel his cheeks growing noticeably warmer. He had the sweetest, most pathetic look on his face; the look of someone who had placed all of their hopes on this moment, a look of desperation and fear, but also excitement, and a real belief that they weren’t wrong.

Yuuri was surprised to find himself wishing that Prince Viktor was right. That he wouldn’t have to break that man’s heart. He was even more surprised to find himself tearing up, just thinking about it.

“I’m really sorry. I know you came all the way out here, but… I really don’t remember much about last night, and there’s no way I’m your soulmate. It’s impossible. My mark’s been a complete picture for as long as I can remember, so as far as I can tell, I don’t have one.”

Viktor wasn’t convinced. He crossed his arms stubbornly across his chest, his optimistic look turning into a bratty pout. “Well, it has to be you. I checked my mark right after your maid whisked you away-”

“Maid?” Yuuri shook his head. There, that was proof enough. “See, that’s how I know it isn’t me. I don’t have a maid. You must be mistaking me for someone else.”

“That’s how she introduced herself,” said Viktor. “She had brown hair, really energetic, smelled a bit like wine-”

“Oh,” Yuuri interrupted. Minako. Of course. “Her.”

“Please, just… look, won’t you? You said so yourself; I came all this way, don’t we owe it to ourselves to make sure?” Viktor was begging now, overtly, with everything he had. “If I’m wrong, I promise that I’ll leave you be. I’ll even leave your family a nice reward for your trouble. But I’m positive that it’s you, Yuuri. I look at you and I feel… warm. Like I’m _home_. Don’t you feel it, too?”

He did, though Yuuri mostly attributed it to how much he was blushing. He hated, _hated_ that the young prince was getting his hopes up. He hated that he was even considering this a possibility, especially since he had no memory of the night before. He hated that now two people were going to leave that conversation with heavy hearts.

But, Viktor was right about one thing; his effort deserved to be rewarded with a definitive answer, even if it wasn’t the one he wanted.

“What?” Viktor said, with a hint of teasing, as he nudged Yuuri with his elbow. “Is yours somewhere embarrassing? Somewhere you can't show me with all of my guards watching?”

Yuuri felt his blush grow even redder. “No, it’s not! It’s on my arm.”

“Well, don’t keep me waiting, then. Let’s see it.”

So much for the polite and proper prince… Yuuri nodded, closing his eyes as he rolled up his sleeve; anything to delay the unpleasantness for a little longer. Viktor’s silence said enough; they weren’t a match after all.

But, he couldn’t stay there with his eyes closed forever. Even if Yuuri wished Viktor wasn’t wrong, he had to face reality eventually. He had a feeling comforting the prince wasn’t going to be easy, but Yuuri opened his eyes-

The mark was different. Still a shoe, but with a new addition; a few extra details at the bottom, transforming the plain shoe into an ice skate. The completed picture, and just as it was starting to sink in, Viktor exposed his own wrist. His marker was further down, much closer to his hand, but the image was the same.

“It’s perfect, when you think about it,” Viktor said, his voice shaking, and when Yuuri looked up he found the prince was crying. “A pair of skates. One on its own is completely useless. Romantic, isn’t it?”

“But…” Yuuri couldn’t remember feeling more overwhelmed before in his life, which admittedly, had been rather boring until about twelve hours ago. “How?”

Viktor chuckled as he wiped away his own tears. “How _what_ , my Yuuri?”

 _My Yuuri_ ; the words made him shiver. “I’m sorry, I really did mean it, when I said I don’t remember last night. I guess we must have… Y’know…”

“Kissed?” Viktor chimed in for him, giddy and giggling.

He nodded. “Yes, that.”

“Well... “ Viktor tapped his chin, humming as though he were deep in thought. “How about, we go back inside, enjoy that breakfast your mother made, and I’ll tell you everything. Well, mostly everything. I might save a few details for when we’re alone.”


End file.
